The second day of the Ashes ended with Australia in the driver’s seat, leading by 196 runs. Things were looking bleak for England with a score of 166/1 as they fought desperately for long portions of the day. Despite a flurry of wickets around the Tea interval, England are still in a bad situation, trailing in the game and battling to find bowlers who can go through overs. Ollie Robinson and Ben Stokes both got injured, while Leach was knocked out of the attack. Warner got things off to a good start with a shaky 94, but Travis Head stole the show with a stunning late onslaught that saw him score his third Test ton off just 85 balls. Australia’s number five counterattacked in style and put his team in a commanding position just as England threatened to make a comeback into the match.
Head’s counter-attacking maiden Ashes ton
There was a lot of criticism around Travis Head’s inclusion in the playing XI as he has so far failed to capitalize on his good starts. England bowlers were eyeing a comeback after dismissing three Australians just before the Tea break but Head was in no mood to let the England bowlers settle. He took an offensive approach as his century came off 85 balls, making it the joint third-fastest Ashes century and the quickest to reach a Test century in a session at the Gabba, putting an end to any aspirations England had after Australia lost 4 for 29 in the afternoon.
Warner-Labuschagne’s vital 156-run partnership
Head’s century followed a superb 156-run partnership between David Warner and Marnus Labuschagne earlier in the day, with Warner scoring an exciting 94 and Labuschagne a magnificent 74. His partnership with Labuschagne was crucial for Australia, and their counterattacking approach didn’t let England’s sole spinner settle in.
Warner misses on the triple-figure mark
David Warner’s inning got off to a rough start, with several play-and-misses. He’s survived a dropped catch and was ‘bowled’ off a no-ball while playing with little control against England’s quicks. He hit a crucial 94 with 11 fours and two sixes after a dismal Ashes performance in England.
Smith fails to get going
When Steve Smith starts to bat, especially against England, a big score is always expected. Mark Wood knicked Smith to Buttler as he couldn’t get into a rhythm. . It was uncharacteristic of Smith to be playing at those with a break on the horizon, as he flirted with and edged behind a ball on the sixth-seventh stump line.
Jack Leach was taken to the cleaners
There were always doubts about England captain Joe Root’s decision to pick Jack Leach over Stuart Board for the first Ashes Test, and Leach’s performance in the first inning vindicated those doubts. Leach not only conceded 96 runs at 8.6 runs per over, but he also relieved the pressure that England pacers were putting on batters. Although Leach offered a crucial break-through of Labuschagne, was it worth the runs he conceded?